Blower and impeller structure thereof

ABSTRACT

A blower includes a driving device and an impeller structure having a hub, a connecting part, and a plurality of blades. The driving device connects to and drives the hub. The connecting part is disposed around the hub and has a plurality of apertures. The blades are disposed at the periphery of the connecting part.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The invention relates to a blower and an impeller structure thereof and, in particular, to a centrifugal blower and an impeller structure thereof.

2. Related Art

In the conventional electrical system, the electrical component, such as a CPU, is usually provided. The electrical component may generate heat and have decreased performance as the temperature rising. In such a case, to maintain the acceptable performance of the electrical component, the generated heat must be removed as soon as fast. To achieve this objective, a blower is usually adopted to dissipate heat quickly.

The conventional blower commonly includes a motor and an impeller structure. As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional impeller structure 1 includes a hub 11, a ring portion 13 and a plurality of blades 15. Herein, the ring portion 13 is disposed annularly around the hub 11, and the blades 15 are connected to the ring portion 13. Since the manufacturing quality of blowers is enhanced, the demands of the end users become more and more critical. For example, the balance-free may be one of the important future demands by the end users. The impeller structure 1 as shown in FIG. 1, however, only utilizes several spoke-like ribs 131 for supporting the blades 15. The balance-free demand may not be achieved. In more detailed, the conventional impeller structure 1 is usually manufactured by the ejection molding process. Thus, the several ribs 131 may have the non-uniform density caused by the factors of pressure, plastic material flows, die temperature, and the likes. In this case, the manufactured impeller structure 1 must be then processed with a balance process to sure that the conventional impeller structure can match the requirement of balance-free. In some manufacturing processes, if the manufacturer wants to omit the balance process, he/she must modify the mold of the impeller structure. However, the modification of the mold is not easy due to the design of the conventional impeller structure.

In addition, even though the ribs 131 are modified, the areas of the ribs 131 are too small to provide sufficient balance effect.

It is therefore an important subject of the invention to provide a balance-free blower and an impeller structure thereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, the invention is to provide a blower and an impeller structure thereof, which are balance-free.

To achieve the above, a blower of the invention includes a driving device and an impeller structure. In the invention, the impeller structure includes a hub, a connecting part and a plurality of blades. The driving device connects to and drives the hub. The connecting part is disposed around the hub and has a plurality of apertures. The blades are disposed at the periphery of the connecting part. The hub, the connecting part and those blades are integrally formed as a single piece. The connecting part is a plate.

Furthermore, the invention also discloses an impeller structure, which includes a hub, a connecting part, and a plurality of blades. In the invention, the connecting part is disposed around the hub and has a plurality of apertures. The blades are disposed at the periphery of the connecting part.

As mentioned above, the blower and the impeller structure of the invention have a connecting part for connecting the hub and the blades. Besides, the connecting part has a plurality of apertures formed by, for example, an aperture-making process. Thus, the balance-free objective can be achieved according to the apertures. Comparing with the prior art, the blower and impeller structure of the invention can achieve balance-free without the specific additional balance process, the conventional modification of mold. Therefore, the manufacturer can produce the blower and impeller structure of balance-free much easier. Accordingly, the manufacturing cost can be reduced so as to increase the marketing competitiveness of the products.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below illustration only, and thus is not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration showing the conventional impeller structure;

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration showing a blower according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; and

FIGS. 3A to 3E are schematic illustrations showing several impeller structures according to the preferred embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same references relate to the same elements.

With reference to FIG. 2, a fan 2 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a driving device 21 and an impeller structure 23. The driving device 21 drives the impeller structure 23, so that an air flow is induced by the rotation of the impeller structure 23. In the embodiment, the fan 2 is a centrifugal fan or a blower, and the driving device 21 is a motor.

Please refer to FIGS. 3A to 3E for illustrating the detailed structure of the impeller structure 23. As shown in FIGS. 3A to 3C, the impeller structure 23 includes a hub 231, a connecting part 233, and a plurality of blades 235. In this embodiment, the connecting part 233 is disposed around the hub and connects to the hub 231. The blades 235 are disposed at the periphery of the connecting part 233. The hub 231, the connecting part 233 and those blades 235 are integrally formed as a single piece. The connecting part 233 has a plurality of apertures such as apertures 237 a to 237 g. In the invention, the number of the apertures is 6 to 15, preferable to be more than 15. Besides, the apertures may go through or not go through the connecting part 233. The apertures have the same shape or difference shapes.

In the present embodiment, the connecting part 233 is processed with an aperture-making process to form the apertures 237 a to 237 g. In more details, the base of the impeller structure 23 is formed by the ejection molding process. At this time, the connecting part 233 is a complete plate. Then, an aperture-making process, such as a punching process, is adopted to form a plurality of apertures 237 a to 237 g on the connecting part 233. Of course, some apertures may be formed on the impeller structure during the ejection molding process.. After that, a consequential aperture-making process is adopted to form the residual apertures so as to balance the impeller structure.

In addition, the apertures can be the rectangular apertures 237 a as shown in FIG. 3A, the trapezoid apertures 237 b as shown in FIG. 3B, or other polygonal apertures. Besides, the apertures can be the sector-like apertures 237 c as shown in FIG. 3C, the half-moon-shaped or sickle-shaped apertures 237 d as shown in FIG. 3D, or the circular apertures 237 g as shown in FIG. 3E. In the invention, the apertures can be regular or irregular.

Furthermore, the apertures 237 a to 237 g may be composed of the apertures of variant shapes. In view of FIG. 3D, the apertures 237 d include a plurality of first apertures 237 e and second apertures 237 f, which have different shapes. The first apertures 237 e and second apertures 237 f are regularly arranged. Moreover, the first apertures 237 e are located adjacent to the hub 231, the second apertures 237 f are located adjacent to the blades 235, and the first apertures 237 e and second apertures 237 f are alternately arranged. Alternatively, the apertures 237 g as shown in FIG. 3E may be randomly arranged.

In the embodiment, the apertures are symmetrically arranged around the hub 231, so that the impeller structure 23 can be equipped with the effect of balance-free. Besides, at least one filler 239 as shown in FIG. 3E is provided to fill in at least one of the apertures 237 g for quickly balance the impeller structure 23. For example, the filler 239 may fully fill in the aperture, partially fill in the aperture, or in/on the connecting part 233. In the embodiment, the filler 239 can be made of metal, plastic, glue, putty, carbon fiber, the material of the impeller structure 23, or any other usable materials.

In summary, the blower and the impeller structure of the invention have a connecting part for connecting the hub and the blades. Besides, the connecting part has a plurality of apertures formed by, for example, an aperture-making process. Thus, the effect of balance-free can be achieved according to the apertures. Comparing with the prior art, the blower and impeller structure of the invention can achieve balance-free without the specific additional balance process, the conventional modification of mold. Therefore, the manufacturer can produce the blower and impeller structure of balance-free much easier. Accordingly, the manufacturing cost can be reduced so as to increase the marketing competitiveness of the products.

Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternative embodiments, will be apparent to persons skilled in the art. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claims will cover all modifications that fall within the true scope of the invention. 

1. An impeller structure, comprising: a hub; a connecting part disposed around the hub and having a plurality of apertures; and a plurality of blades disposed at the periphery of the connecting part.
 2. The impeller structure of claim 1, wherein the apertures are symmetrically or randomly arranged around the hub.
 3. The impeller structure of claim 1, wherein the apertures are rectangular, trapezoid, polygonal, circular, half-moon-shaped, sickle-shaped, sector-like, regular, or irregular.
 4. The impeller structure of claim 1, wherein the apertures comprise a plurality of first apertures disposed adjacent to the hub and a plurality of second apertures disposed adjacent to the blades, and the first apertures and the second apertures are alternately arranged.
 5. The impeller structure of claim 1, wherein an aperture-making process is applied on the connecting part to form the apertures.
 6. The impeller structure of claim 1, wherein the apertures and the connecting part are simultaneously formed.
 7. The impeller structure of claim 1, further comprising: at least one filler, which is filled in at least one of the apertures or in/on the connecting part.
 8. The impeller structure of claim 7, wherein the filler is made of metal, plastic, glue, putty, carbon fiber, or the material of the impeller structure.
 9. The impeller structure of claim 1, wherein the number of the apertures is 6 to 15 or more.
 10. The impeller structure of claim 1, wherein the apertures have the same shape or difference shapes.
 11. The impeller structure of claim 1, wherein the apertures go through or not go through the connecting part.
 12. A fan, comprising: an impeller structure, which comprises: a hub, a connecting part disposed around the hub and having a plurality of apertures, and a plurality of blades disposed at the periphery of the connecting part, and a driving device for driving the impeller structure to rotate.
 13. The fan of claim 12, wherein the fan is a centrifugal fan or a blower.
 14. The fan of claim 12, wherein the apertures are symmetrically or randomly arranged around the hub.
 15. The fan of claim 12, wherein the apertures are rectangular, trapezoid, polygonal, circular, half-moon-shaped, sickle-shaped, sector-like, regular, or irregular.
 16. The fan of claim 12, wherein an aperture-making process is applied on the connecting part to form the apertures.
 17. The fan of claim 12, wherein the apertures and the connecting part are simultaneously formed.
 18. The fan of claim 12, wherein the impeller structure further comprises: at least one filler, which is filled in at least one of the apertures or in/on the connecting part, wherein the filler is made of metal, plastic, glue, putty, carbon fiber, or the material of the impeller structure.
 19. The blower of claim 12, wherein the number of the apertures is 6 to 15 or more.
 20. The blower of claim 12, wherein the apertures have the same shape or difference shapes. 